The Redneck and The Scientist
by Riksie-Dixie
Summary: Linnea "Ginger" Reed is the red-headed mercenary of Penguin's gang. So, why is she helping Mr. Freeze? She has her reasons, but how long can she go without revealing them? How in the world are they even getting along?
1. Chapter 1: Support System

"The Redneck and The Scientist"

Disclaimer: I only own Ginger.

A/N: This is probably more of an experimental story, just to explore the relationship (not romantic!) between Mr. Freeze and Ginger. It'll probably be short, but (I'm hoping) it helps with Linnea's character development. That, and I'm pretty sure I got her personality more on point. Also, yeah - _Linnea Reed = Ginger_. **Please review! I gladly accept constructive criticism.**

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Chapter 1: Support System

He should have never been there in the first place.

Instead of finding a cure for his wife, Victor Fries was encased in an overheated display case while the love of his life was in the hands of the notorious clown prince, Joker. This was all thanks to the formerly missing Arkham psychologist, Doctor Hugo Strange. Manipulation was his specialty and he definitely used it to his advantage.

Although the heat caused his body an excessive amount of stress, he was determined to survive. If not for his Nora, then it would be to exact his revenge on Cobblepot and Strange as he saw fit. The corrupt entrepreneur and the psychotic doctor would pay for what they did to him...

Most of the criminals in Arkham City either had no idea why Mr. Freeze was being held captive by The Penguin, or knew about the whereabouts of the scientist; Joker's group were running a muck in the city, trying to locate the man who would develop a cure for their boss. Then again, gossip ran rampant in Arkham City and assumptions could be made. For the people who knew about Freeze's incarceration, the obvious presumption would be that the mechanical engineer somehow pissed off the wealthy businessman; Oswald Cobblepot's brutality didn't go amiss to anyone who kept up with the news. Those who didn't have a clue were mostly the ones hunting him down, or people who simply didn't care.

The thugs of Penguin's gang knew otherwise. News spread quickly, yet they knew they were supposed to keep it among themselves if they wished to keep pain-free. The information provided from the grapevine was simple: Hugo Strange blackmailed Fries into developing a cure for Joker's ailment by holding his wife hostage. However, the ordeal went sour as Nora was shipped over to the sadistic clown and Strange tipped off Penguin about the whole situation. Seeing an opportunity to win the war, he had the henchmen take down Mr. Freeze in the sanctuary of his hideout at the old Gotham City Police Department.

Why Penguin was torturing Freeze was simple, according to some of the smarter men in the group: Victor would not stop his work in order to save his wife unless someone (somehow) stopped him. Plus, Oswald wasn't one to take kindly against those who worked with the enemy. The collection addition was merely a bonus to him.

The door at the end of the hall opened, then slammed shut. A red-headed woman made her way through the gallery of decayed corpses and stuffed hyenas, ducking under the broken gate to enter the main room. She was dirty and scuffed up from a previous brawl, but it didn't seem to deter her from working any.

Leaning against the glass display window, Mr. Freeze's gaze didn't avert from looking at the ground. Still, he saw a hint of unruly waves as she approached, but took a right.

The mess behind the cell was full of huge wooden boxes and various equipment, which included a steel ladder that the female pulled out and set on the ground. With a slightly puzzled expression on her face, she tried to remember the password for this specific mechanism. Oddly, it wasn't the lock that was giving her much trouble, seeing as she was a novice with most pieces of electronic technology at best. All she had to do was enter the password on the little keypad.

With slight difficulty, her pale, bony fingers entered the word: microwave. Fairly ironic, seeing as the display was practically one as well, but she didn't care too much to question it. The gate lifted, revealing the innards of the little prison.

Cold air slowly seeped in, allowing Victor to feel some soothing relief. Despite the chance at escape, he felt too weak to outrun her, and she knew this, which was why she often came alone. Getting across the body of water outside the Torture Room was another obstacle, unless Penguin had used the freeze ray to cover the lake with ice. Even then, Tiny the shark seemed to be strong enough to break through the ice and cause his demise, if the heat in here didn't kill him first.

It wasn't the first time she'd come in here; it was the first time in a few weeks that she came and the fourth time, total. Her mission took up the span of two weeks, leaving him to fry during that period of time. She'd enter his cell to "adjust" the lighting, then leave. It was... outlandish.

Linnea Reed turned off the lights in the cell before positioning the ladder next to him. She didn't ask him to move, nor did he do it regardless. Her feet scaled the steps as she made her way up to the wiring in the ceiling. "Yer still alive." She began to fiddle with the wires, trying to figure out which was which. "Guess I shouldn' be too surprised; yer devotion to yer wife is... _admirable_." It was an honest admission; a smile graced her face, although it was unseen by the other occupant of the room.

He didn't bother to reply; never being one for small talk, he wasn't about to start now. Nevertheless, she continued, "Unfortunate situation yer in. Nothin' like bein' screwed over three ways." She allowed a chuckle to escape her throat before it turned into a hiss once the wires shocked her. A slew of profanities were muttered under her breath and she banged her fist on the metal casing as she resumed her work.

It didn't take her long to finish up and soon she was climbing down the ladder, picking it up and carrying it out of the place. Before she stepped out, her head turned halfway towards Mr. Freeze, who ended up slumped against the wall of the cell. "I'm sorry for the sticky situation yer in; i's gotta hurt to be away from the person ya love for so long." She made her way out, setting the ladder against the wall and flipping the power switch back on. The light was back on, although the warmth emitted wasn't as strong as it was before.

Still, it gave him little comfort. He lifted his head ever slightly and spoke for the first time since she arrived. "Why are you doing this?" She had no reason to be of service to him, nor did he see what would cause her to help him. This wasn't the first time she had done this, so why she even bothered to continue was beyond him.

Ginger's fingers hovered over the locking mechanism as her gaze momentarily met his. For a few moments, silence engulfed the area, with the exception of the humming of the light fixtures. Revealing the truth was never her style, so she came up with a... little white lie. "Let's jus' say... i's a lil' 'I owe you'." Her voice remained level, as did her eyes. After all, lying was part of the job.

It was hard to tell if her words held meaning or not, because her face remained impassive. She punched the password into the keyboard and the gate shut, sealing him in with the warmth once more.

A day later, Batman arrived on the scene. He had freed Mr. Freeze from the containment unit, only to demand a cure he had yet to develop and a way to stop his own freeze gun. A small... _negotiation,_ was made - Batman would find his cryogenic suit and Mr. Freeze would create a remedy for the ailment. After twenty or so minutes, the captured policemen came by to deliver a hand-sized piece of equipment that would help keep him alive and energized while they transported him to his suit.

While waiting in the lobby for Batman to bring in Penguin, Mr. Freeze was looking at the various displays containing Oswald Cobblepot's collections. Up above, he didn't hear the sound of a ceiling tile being moved. Suddenly, a rope landed next to him and someone slid down. He turned and lifted his freeze ray, ready to use force, if necessary. Even when he noticed that it was the female mercenary from before, his gun stayed level.

"Oi! Are ya gonna put that damn thing down?" She hissed angrily, hands in the air in surrender. Her eyes were focused on the item in his hands. "I ain't here to do anythin'!"

"Then why are you here?" Victor questioned, "Your boss is being brought here as we speak. You should be finding a new _employer_."

Ginger glared at him and scoffed. "Really? That's pretty damn _funny_, because I fuckin' _hate_ the other two guys around, and I'm sure the feeling is damn-well _mutual_!" Her body tensed when she noticed she was yelling and spared a glance towards the door at the end of the hall before looking back at him. "Can't even say a fuckin' _good-bye _now? Too hard for ya to comprehend?" Her tone turned from anger to mocking.

_That_ hit a nerve. He shot the freeze ray near her feet as a warning without batting an eyelash. She jumped backwards, hands raised in the air once more. Her look turned from arrogance to worry, despite the fact that she knew she was faster and had a rifle on her person... Then again, Freeze was ten times stronger than her and had more weapon capabilities compared to herself.

"You've said enough."

She had the audacity to mock him once more before rolling her eyes and turning around. "Try ta be nice, and whaddya know? Guy tries ta fuckin' _shoot_ me." More grumbles were muttered under her breath as she made her way towards the entrance. "See ya, Freeze, and remember - _you owe me_. I helped yer ass, so later you can help _mine_, if I _need_ it." With that said, she walked up the stairs and left the premises.

Most of the women in these parts were puzzling creatures, Freeze figured. He went back to studying the ninja within the confines of the display case prison.


	2. Chapter 2: Favors Repaid

"The Redneck and the Scientist"

Disclaimer: I only own Ginger.

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm honestly surprised because I've never received this much reception to my works. Anyways, I kinda ended up half-assing the end, and ended up splitting it up so it could take up a portion of next chapter. I'm fairly sure this will also be a four chapter story. This may also seem a little fast-paced due to how Arkham City is. Ginger's dialect is also giving me slight issues. P.S.: I'm most likely going to redo D&D after I finish this up. Should I delete the story and re-upload it or keep it and change the chapters? _**Please read and review; I gladly accept constructive criticism.**_

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Chapter 2: Favors Repaid

The air felt cold against Ginger's face, but it didn't matter to her; she was wearing a baggy blue jumpsuit covered by a large dark blue jacket, stolen from a political prisoner. The smell of the area was overpowering frost, so it was hard to distinguish specific smells. In the lab of the former Gotham City Police Department, the only sounds that could be heard were the humming of the laboratory equipment and the taps of mechanical fingers against a keyboard. Peaking around the corner, she saw Victor typing away on the computer. He seemed intently focused on his work, so she could surely sneak through...

"What are you doing here?" Buzzing started up as Mr. Freeze aimed his freeze gun at her. In return, she threw her hands up in defense; the warning tone in his voice didn't go over her head. The fact that he was wearing full mechanical body armor was enough to have chills go up her spine, but he was also half a foot taller than her, from what she read in his asylum and police reports.

Although she was bigger than the average woman at 5'11", anyone taller made her feel threatened. It was fairly noticeable as her whole body tensed, but she stood her ground. After all, what kind of mercenary would she be if she backed down from every single person who towered over her height? Not the somewhat respected former leader she was, that's for sure. "'m not here on orders or anythin', I jus'... need a place ta stay a while," Ginger sheepishly admitted. "Y'know, the favor-"

"I do not owe you anything, Ginger. I could have survived on my own without your... _help_," Fries stated, effectively cutting her off. Neither one made a move towards the other, in a physical sense. "Now, I suggest you leave while you still have the chance."

"Fine, fine, it ain't about the damn favor!" Ginger grumbled, rolling her eyes and sending him a heated glare. She was a bit irritated by the way Victor insinuated that she did _nothing for him_, although, depending on how you saw it, the insinuation could hold a little truth. At this point, she was attempting to keep her temper in check before she did anything rash. "Look, I... I wanna... h-help you... with yer wife."

Silence reigned for what seemed to be a few minutes, until he finally chose to break it. "Is this your idea of a joke? Why do you insist on providing me with unnecessary assistance?" The first question was hostile, but the second one was out of curiosity.

Linnea's gaze lightened, but shifted anywhere but Freeze's face. If it were possible, the muscles in her body contracted some more. One particular spot on the ground caught her attention and she scrutinized it with a focused look.

_'I could'a fuckin' saved him... I didn't warn 'im in time!'_

The voice in her mind made her face pale significantly as she jolted her head back up, looking up into his eyes. "Let's jus' say your situation's makin' me feel... empathetic." The bottom portion of her lip gave a slight twitch, but hid it by tightening them into a taut line.

"I do not need your pity-" There was the hostility once more, and boy, did it annoy her, even if she was used to it.

Ginger gave him a disbelieving look. "Are ya kidding me? Are ya fucking kidding me?!" When he moved his freeze ray, she calmed down, albeit slightly. "Goddammit, Victor, stop sayin' ya don't need shit! It's pretty damn obvious that ya do, at least some, but yer ego fails to accept it." Her brown eyes narrowed. "I ain't in the fuckin' mood to play therapist, and I ain't givin' ya pity. Think what ya want, but I made a promise to myself, and I'm gonna help however I can, whether ya like it or not."

Mister Freeze glowered at her, slightly peeved by her little speech. Who was she to talk to him like this? A lowly mercenary, nonetheless? Although, he had to admire her boldness; it was a trait that most of the thugs seemed to lack. Despite this, he took some of her words into consideration. "What could you do to help me?" If anything, there was very little she could possibly do for him, especially with them being contained in Arkham City. Access to other resources he needed was limited, if there were any.

The tension in her body eased as she cracked a small chuckle. "Truth be told, I was hopin' you could tell me." When he didn't continue, she did, "Your wife... Joker has her, right? Well, I could track her for you... Kill any snipers for Batman." She shrugged. "It's a start, ain'it?" Slowly, she made her way into the lab area as Victor lowered the freeze weapon. "Just lemme stay in that cozy lil' prison cell you have 'ere an' I'll do it all for free."

Freeze contemplated this. Although he could easily do all of that measly work, it would distract him from developing a cure for Nora. On the other side of the coin, Ginger was well-known for working with the Penguin for a long period of time - three years was what he remembered hearing last. The relationship between employee and employer was lax; Penguin had enough trust in her to allow for her to roam as she pleased. Despite not being a well-trained fighter, her skills in marksmanship made up for it. If worse came to worse, he could easily take her down without a problem. After all, she was providing voluntary assistance to recover his lovely Nora.

"Very well." His cold response made her smile before deciding to make her way back towards the entrance she came in from. When she brought in a dark blue duffel bag, his eyes immediately drifted to it.

"Food and water; I ain't like you." He scrutinized her, yet she continued. "Meanin', I took what things I could before Two-Face took over the museum." She rolled her eyes. "Like I feel like dealin' with him. He's pretty up there with... y'know, the clown and his bitch," she hissed. Her knuckles turned white as her fingers tightened their grip around the strap of the bag. With that said, she passed him and headed toward the small room in the back with the bunk bed and collapsible wall.

Needless to say, Victor somewhat agreed with her, although he didn't tell her that. Being in the same class of the three fellow Rogues made him well-acquainted with their antics and, to be honest, he'd feel the slightest bit of pity for Batman for having to deal with the haphazard clown prince and his crazy girlfriend if he was still capable of feeling those emotions.

Later, Ginger headed out of the GCPD in order to track down Nora Fries with a lit up cigarette in her mouth. From what Mr. Freeze could deduce, the location of her cryogenic chamber was somewhere slightly north of the police building. All she had to do was interrogate a few Joker thugs until she found out exactly where Victor's wife was being held.

... The only problem was finding a lone Joker employee, who also didn't have a gun. Everyone she found was either with a group, or holding a gun. The chances of interrogating a gunman were zip to none for her, and it was common sense to know that it would be useless trying to threaten an armed man of a dangerous gang.

_'It was a freak accident; there was nothing you could have done about it, Linn.'_

_'Really, Dahl? I _knew_ about the deception, I should've got there in time.'_

Then there was _that_ issue. Ever since her conversation with Victor Fries earlier, Ginger's mind hadn't been in the right place. The past was the past, and it was coming back to haunt her once more. It was distracting, but not enough... _yet_.

A tap on her shoulder caused to tense and turn around, rifle aimed high. The man behind her threw his hands up in surrender, but made no move to run away. "Hey, Ginge, we've been wonderin' where ya went." Although his tone was casual, it was also laced with a hint of fear.

Quickly, she noticed that two other men were behind the one who tapped her on the shoulder. All of them were still wearing a piece of clothing with the Penguin's insignia on it; she never bothered with labeling herself. "Hey Joe... Bobby... Rob." Remaining cautious, her aim didn't defer. Instead, she took two steps backward. "What do ya guys want?" Her own tone was wary, as she wasn't exactly the best person to hang around, s

"Lookin' for work," Bobby replied, "Ever since the Bat got Cobblepot, we've been outta work. Thought we'd see if we could join up with Joker's gang-"

Before they could continue, Ginger cut them off. She was _flabbergasted_. "Are you guys on _meth_ or somethin'?! That's literally askin' ta sign yer soul over to the Devil!" She lowered her gun and glared, but smirked smugly. "Then again, I never knew ya guys for bein' the _smartest_ of the bunch."

"Hey, shaddup!"

"I ain't _that_ dumb; I got a degree in Accounting!"

"You're full of _shit_."

"I am _not_! I used to be an accountant! Honest!"

"Yeah, well, Two-Face pretty much rejected us after your lil' stunt. Almost had a good portion of us killed," Joe continued, his tone harboring the slightest hint of anger, "Last place for a job with food an' water would be the Joker, and, uh, we've kinda been considerin' it..."

Ginger wanted to slam her face into a wall. _Really?_ "Didn't ya guys think ta, y'know, take what ya could before ya left?" She huffed. "For fuck's _sake_, guys, why don't ya just get a bunch'a other guys and raid Two-Face's place? _Anythin's_ better than workin' for the_ clown_."

"That's the thing... We don't know where everyone else went." Rob shrugged. "Everyone pretty much went M.I.A. after the whole thing. Haven't seen anyone since, so we all left." He pursed his lips. "Well, that, and none of us are good at stealin', last I checked."

Another argument started and she gave another huff as she stared down the men in front of her. "Well, y'know what? I can't help ya guys. Hell, I'm even _lucky_ I found someone ta work for, and he sure as _Hell_ ain't gonna let ya work for_ him_. I had a hard enough time tryin' ta get him ta let me work for him. Don't think he'd be so lenient with _you_ guys." Before they could continue, she sighed and said, "Y'know what? Just help me with this lil' mission I got and I'll split what I got for food an' water with you guys. I took a pretty good portion of the stash so I'll be good for a bit."

"What about smokes? Ya got some of those?"

Her eyes nearly burned a hole into the man's skull. "Just _food an' water_; I only got three packs 'a smokes."

"Three packs? Are ya fuckin' kiddin' me-" She pulled the hammer on the rifle back and aimed, which led him to retract his statement. "Er, that's... fine with us."

"Good." The ends of her lip curled up into a smirk as she turned around, holding the hammer of the rifle in place. "Then let's go beat the shit outta some Joker punks."


	3. Chapter 3: Understanding Circumstances

"The Redneck and The Scientist"

Disclaimer: I only own Ginger.

A/N: This one might be long. First: Two weeks late, I know. In my defense, I redid the first chapter of "Discord and Disorder" last week, and I might end up redoing this one later. New Word Goal: 1500. Second: Is Ginger approaching Mary-Sue territory at all, or is she in it? Let me know what you think. I keep trying to flesh out her flaws, but I don't know if it's enough. I'm not thinking about the Origins story anymore, because (a) I have no plot for it and if I did, it'd be predictable, and (b) I'll probably end up divulging in her past in the last chapter (which is next). HOWEVER, I do have a few new ideas. _**As always, please read and review! I don't mind constructive criticism.**_

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Chapter 3: Understanding Circumstances

_'It wasn't my fault.'_ That was all Ginger could keep thinking as unwanted memories from the past invaded her mind. Ever since the little talk with Mr. Freeze, they've become more frequent, and all the girl wanted to do at that point was break down and scream.

Unfortunately, she didn't have time nor the space to do it. No, her focus needed to be on leading these men in a strike against a group of Joker's thugs. Interrogations were her specialty and _boy_, was she _eager _to start.

"Remember, boys: Kill the ones with guns and take down the ones without. We're gonna be doin' a lil' questionin'." A malevolent grin made its way up her face and she realized how sadistic her personality was becoming after years as a mercenary, especially for the Penguin. "You guys remember how fun that was, don't ya?"

"Yeah, for _you_," Joe replied from beside her, "You didn't have ta clean up the mess..." A few murmurs of agreement were heard from behind them.

Ginger dismissed it with a roll of the eyes, though. "Oh, I'm _sorry_, I didn't know I was workin' with a bunch 'a _pussies_." She growled, "Grow a fuckin' pair and _suck it up_. Didn't you guys have enough fun with the cops Cobblepot found? Wish I could'a been there for _that_."

The sounds of chuckling echoed through the alleyway they were passing through. "Are you _kidding _me? That was _awesome_. Felt good to knock some sense into the bastards that put us away," Bobby replied, smirking, "You missed a pretty good beat down, Ginge."

"Don't _remind _me," she grumbled with an exasperated expression, "I was stuck with _Two-Face _for a good two weeks. Man, that sonuva bitch reminds me of frickin' _Black Mask_. Too paranoid for their own good." Once her eyes caught sight of a group of vandals with Joker's signature face paint, her feet stopped in their tracks. When the others gave her a confused look, she pointed at the open street in front of them.

No one noticed them, and she was going to take advantage of that. From their vantage point, there were three armed men and two unarmed ones seen. They'd have to act quickly. "Attack on one, two..." As soon as one of the armed men turned in their direction, she pulled back the hammer and clicked the trigger of her rifle, effectively hitting him in the chest. The others in their respective groups took this as a signal for war as all Hell broke loose.

Bobby and Ginger were quick with taking out the two males equipped with firearms. It wasn't too hard - Ginger dodged a hit and made one of her own, striking him in the head. Bobby wasn't as fortunate, however, and ended up knicked on the shoulder, but he managed to aim for the other male's stomach. Instead of getting in one more bullet, Bobby made the man suffer with the wound in his abdomen. It seemed to be something they've all learned from working with Penguin: leaving someone to suffer was more useful than leaving them alive.

Joe and Rob, on the other hand, didn't have it as easy as the other two, considering the fact that they were facing them in hand-to-hand combat. Compared to Bobby and Joe, Rob was a fairly scrawny guy and it often surprised many to hear he was among the ranks of Penguin's gang. Like everyone's said, though: Cobblepot had his reasons. As soon as his opponent threw the first punch, Rob was able to grab his fist and twist the arm, causing a yelp of pain to emit from the thug as Rob tightened the hold and kicked him behind the knees.

Joe, on the other hand, was able to rely on his own brute strength for the brawl. Although he wasn't as agile like Ginger and Rob, the hits he was taking didn't seem to hurt too much. Within a few minutes, the other guy was beaten and bloodied whereas Joe came out with a few scratches and pieces of irritated red skin that would surely bruise the next day.

With the two former Penguin henchmen keeping a hold on the two hustlers, Ginger made her way over with her rifle in hand, like a baseball bat. A devilish smirk crawled up her face as she started to speak, "Now, do either of you guys know the location of Freeze's wife?" At the mention of the cold scientist they once held captive, the dominant group's jaws nearly dropped on the ground.

"Why should we tell _you_?" The one in Rob's grip asked, "We don't gotta tell you _shit_." He could feel his arm wrench farther up his back and he groaned in pain, yet refused to say anything else.

"If ya don't," Ginger started, patting the end of her rifle in her hand, "I'll just beat it outta you. Your choice, boys..."

The male being held up by Joe laughed out loud. "Really? _You_, beat up _us_? The shit we hear 'bout you ain't true. You're just a _girl_. No way you can make _us _talk."

"Aw, that's cute. He thinks I don't live up to my reputation..." The former Penguin henchmen chuckled as her eyes suddenly lit up with an idea and the smirk was replaced with a grin. She switched the position of her gun and aimed. With a quick release of the trigger, she hit the two Joker employees in the groin area, causing two loud screams and three winces of sympathy. "Don't believe ya got anymore /man/ to ya, boys, so ya might wanna start talkin' before I shoot in some _other _painful places."

"Alright, alright, she's in the Falcone Shippin' Yard, but we don't know where, we swear!" The male in the submission maneuver squealed, tears falling out of his eyes.

The other one glared at his fellow coworker. "Gee, thanks a lot! Now, Joker'll skin us _both _alive!" His expression, however, didn't hide the discomfort he was feeling.

Ginger looked up at Joe and Rob, motioning for them to let go of the two. Once they did, she looked over at the squealer first. "Since you were _so _nice, I'll make this quick." Before he could speak, she shot him in the head. Her gaze then focused on the other goon. "As for _you_, I'll just let you _suffer_..." Without warning, she kicked him backwards and aimed her hits for the kneecaps. By this point, the guy was crying and screaming from the pain.

"You're workin' for _Freeze_?"

"How the Hell does _that _work?"

"Doesn't he know you worked with Penguin, too?"

However, Ginger was too involved in her own thoughts to pay attention. _His_ screams... and then silence. It repeated in her head nonstop until someone gently shook her, causing it to stop.

"You alright, Ginge?" Bobby was the one with his hand on her shoulder whereas Rob asked the question. They didn't look the least bit concerned, though; they just wanted their loot.

"Uh, yeah..." She quietly replied, "... Let's just get back to the old GCPD buildin' and I'll give you guys your shit."

It didn't take them long to arrive back at the headquarters of Mr. Freeze, although it seemed to be forever with the silence reigning among them. Ginger hadn't said a word since the ending of the torture session, yet no one was willing to question it farther, if only in fear for her temper and their own well-being. She motioned for them to remain silent and wait a few moments as they stood outside the shut electronic door of the former police building. Stealthily, she made her way around the structure to the back door, having to use her lasso to get there.

When she opened the door, she heard the signs of a struggle coming from within the laboratory. No speech, but the sounds of electricity and the freeze ray shooting. Her head carefully poked around the corner and what she saw caused her to tense. Batman, the Batman, was fighting against Victor Fries. Getting involved with the fight was the last course of action she was willing to take, so she sprinted across the hall and to "her room", fetching the necessary bargain items from her bag and taking the front door this time. The generator was a bit over her height, so she put down the items and moved a few boxes in order to reach the charger.

After moments of fiddling with the wires, she finally received a response when a harsh shock went through her fingers, yet the door opened, slightly, enough for her to throw the boys a bag containing their items while staying on the other side. "Half of my food stock, enough to feed ya guys for a few days. After that, yer on yer own." The gate slammed shut once she pulled the wires apart, startling the men out of their stupor.

Her feet dragged her through the hall once more, intending to head back to the makeshift bedroom for a while of thinking, but her ears perked up, hearing bits of conversation between the previously-fighting Batman and Freeze.

"_Harley Quinn_ took it." The deep voice caused shivers to crawl down her spine, although it was more of a fear reaction, if anything. The beatings she received at the hands of the Bat weren't something to scoff at, considering the broken appendages.

Something slammed shut as she peered around the corner once more. "What are you waiting for? Go and get it back! The clown must pay for what he has done to us." His voice didn't sound as robotic as it did earlier and she could see that the glass to his helmet was broken.

"It's not that simple. Joker's got the Steel Mill locked down; getting in will not be easy."

"Perhaps I can help... I've been working on a new projectile system. Maybe these will provide the edge you need."

"I promise you, Victor, I will find Nora." With that being said, the Batman left through the other entrance, leaving Fries alone as said frozen man knelt down, punching calculations into his suit.

"Lemme guess: The Bat kicked yer ass?" The tone wasn't mocking, but neutral, and her face had the same expression. Carefully, Ginger stepped into the workshop.

For once within the few days they've met with him in the suit, Mr. Freeze didn't aim his gun at her body. Instead, he ignored her question and got right to the point. "Were you able to find the location of my wife?" He didn't even bother looking up from his work.

"Not the exact location, just a general idea." She mentally cursed herself out for being too ambitious and forgetting to ask for the precise area. "Falcone Shippin' yard, or somewhere in that area." Her steps stopped once she was a few feet away from the mentally ill scientist.

"Hopefully the Batman will be of better assistance than yourself, then," was his simple reply.

Unfortunately, it caused some irritation to rise within her. For now, she pushed it down to the best of her ability. "I've heard Bruce Wayne's offered ya money to help find a cure for your wife, an' yet ya turn it down, from what I hear. Care to explain?"

"I do not need it," he replied, finally aiming his gaze at her, "I am perfectly capable of helping my Nora. It is my efforts that will finally rid her of this horrid disease afflicted upon her..."

Cue the roll of the eyes from Ginger. She crossed her arms and leaned against the computer station. "Ya gotta accept the fact that sometimes, we _do _need help, even if we think we don't."

"And what would you know? You do not know what it is like to watch someone rot and wither away from within, like a beautiful flower. All of the work I had sacrificed food and sleep for, all for nothing."

A glare was sent in Freeze's direction as her fists clenched around her elbows. "Yer _kiddin' _me, right?" Her voice was dangerously low. "I may not have been in the same situation, but I've had people close to me die, Victor, and it's even worse when ya have a constant reminder of one of them _each _and _every _passing day. It's Hell, and I don't want anyone to be in my shoes." She began walking towards the exit, but stopped once she reached the ramp. "That includes you. Call it pity, sympathy... I don't care. I don't fuckin' _care_. I'm doing this because I _promised _myself I'd help anyone facing any similar situation, and you can't stop me. I _will _help you."

As she made her way up the ramp, a voice in her head echoed over and over again.

_'Mommy!' _The voice was soft and sweet, giggling after her exclamation.

She stopped short of the doorway, clenching her fist and punching the tiled wall. A scream of "Goddammit!" made its way up her vocal chords. Creases began to form on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. The anger, disappointment, and guilt combined all into one, and she just needed to get out of there.


	4. Chapter 4: Only Human

"The Redneck & The Scientist"

_Disclaimer:_ I only own Ginger.

_A/N:_ Wow, over 3000 words! I think I info-dumped. Anyways, sorry for the wait! This was sort of rushed. It mostly consists of flashbacks concerning Ginger's past. I may redo this one in the future... This was actually one of the reasons that I asked if Ginger was becoming a Mary-Sue. I figured her boyfriend was enough of a minor character (figure out who he is and watch his Origins "battle") for me to get away with...

I know I never really respond to my reviewers, but I love you guys to bits and pieces. P_**lease read and review! I gladly accept**_** criticism.** P.S.: Quick character summary at the end, for what you guys should already know. I may have more ideas for fics that I'll probably come up with sooner, rather than later.

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Chapter 4: Only Human

The air was cold as Ginger breathed the smoke of a cigarette in and out to calm her frazzled nerves. Her breaths were shallow as sobs racked through her body. Why did she insist on keeping that promise? Especially to a man who didn't appreciate it, nonetheless.

From the viewpoint on top of the old Gotham City police building, she could see the groups of thugs running about. Penguin bombed the bridge from Amusement Mile to the rest of Arkham City, so the rubble was still there, along with a shot down helicopter from the news station. Gun shots and screams echoed loudly through the area as a war was fought.

It reminded her of Gotham only five or six years ago. Truth be told, she didn't find that it changed much. The crime rate wasn't decreasing, like the citizens would hope. The slums still existed, housing the worst of criminals. The only difference she noticed were the positions of power held by Gotham City's Rogues. Black Mask, a former kingpin at the top of the food chain, was nothing compared to the likes of the Joker, the clown prince of crime, and Penguin, a high-ranking businessman and weapons manufacturer. Plenty of newer Rogues were dominating the criminal activity in Gotham.

A common fact to all of the inmates at this point was that Doctor Hugo Strange was a deranged psychopath; more civilized than the average psycho, yet just as sadistic. This was why she was thankful to be under the protection of a Rogue, whether it be Mr. Freeze, Penguin, or Two-Face. Rumors ran amok concerning the devilish man's tortures on men who were unfortunate to be captured by the brainwashed Tyger guards.

Staying with Penguin in the Iceberg Lounge wasn't necessarily optional for her, considering her ranking in Penguin's guard. No, if she had a choice, she would've stayed with her remaining family in a better part of Gotham. Unfortunately, there was no swaying Cobblepot and this was how she ended up staying in this rotting Hell. Truth be told, she missed her relatives, and it pained her to be away from them.

A familiar spot of black and orange caught her eye before Tyger helicopters started to fill the sky. Not long after, explosions followed in various areas of the city. From her vantage point, she could see them all over the Arkham City region, and one was heading right in the direction of the Gotham City Police building. A missile was fired and landed fairly close, as the impact was enough to knock her off of her feet and cause the cigarette in her mouth to fall out. Hastily, she maneuvered her way inside the structure and to the laboratory where Freeze was containing himself.

"What is all of the ruckus?" was the first question he asked, noting her disheveled appearance. He didn't seem to really care about the noise, though; it seemed to be more of an attempt at minor conversation... It was almost as if he was getting used to her being around, slowly yet surely.

By this time, Ginger felt like a mess. Her hands were shaking and her heart rate was increasing - the sure signs of a panic attack. It became harder to breathe as her breaths were shallow. The sweat began to gather on her palms and she began to feel warm, despite the cold air in the room. "Strange is destroyin' the fuckin' city... Goddamn, I thought _Joker_ was the only one insane enough to do it... Guess I was wrong."

Mr. Freeze continued to type away at the computer in front of him, but replied, "So, I suppose _this_ was what 'Protocol 10' entailed."

His reply was ignored by Ginger, who was currently pacing around the freezing lab. The loud noises were close and it made her feel uneasy. "Do ya think we're okay in here?" Her eyes darted around the room, observing the structural materials anxiously. "I mean, if they hit the _building_..."

"They _won't._" He could hear the worry in her voice, and the last thing he needed was a panicking woman disturbing his work. Then again, her just being there was ruining his concentration, albeit slightly. "This building has been built to withstand the harshest of attacks. If a missile hits, it will not do much damage, if any."

She wouldn't have any of it, though. Her mind seemed to disregard Victor's reply as it repeated a male scream of terror, sirens, and Joker's laugh all at once. Hands made their way up to her hair and grasped, pulling it harshly as she paced faster. Remembering the techniques taught to her by her therapist, she began taking deep breaths in order to calm herself down. However, it did very little and she tried pinching the underside of her upper arm instead. Sure, it hurt, but nothing compared to other injuries she's had in the past, and it worked.

Now, she was able to focus more on the reality of the situation: Strange was trying to kill them all. If anyone, her first suspect would've been the Joker. Then again, him, Penguin, and Two-Face were pretty much killing each other for power over the area, plus the clown was practically dying on his feet.

"L-look..." She turned to Fries without haste. "You... just know that I've been with Penguin's crew for how long, right?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "Well... It didn't exactly start out that way... Hell, nothin' really started lookin' my way 'til I went off the deep end. I was originally workin' for Black Mask... That's actually how I got my... boyfriend, onto the list of assassins to kill the Batman."

_Late into the night, the snow fell and fell. It was only a few days from Christmas Eve and Black Mask had something fairly... interesting, planned. She found it a bit unusual, but not to the point where the urge to question was strong. He told them that he was going to offer a bounty for the death of the Batman, with eight hired assassins battling over it. Out of all of the offers, only seven people took it and the search for one more was tedious._

_Roman Sionis could be a patient man, but, as of late, that patience has been wearing thin. Becoming very impatient, he said he was willing to accept any suggestion for a replacement. This would be the opportunity of a lifetime for any brute wanting to make it to the big time._

_It took her a while, but Linnea managed to nab her boyfriend's GCPD file from the office. Sionis only mentioned that he wanted proposals and it wouldn't be long before one popped up, so she did her best to hurry up to her boss' room._

_Cautiously, she raised her closed fist to the door and knocked, hearing a relaxed yet short, "Come in!". As such, she took it as her cue to enter the room and opened the door, revealing the masked criminal mastermind himself. "Ah, what a pleasant surprise! Miss..."_

_"Reed, sir," Linn replied, advancing up to his desk, "Remember how ya wanted one more assassin for yer lil' bounty hunt? Well, I've the perfect candidate." She put the file onto the desk and slid it across to him. "He may not seem like much, but he's gettin' better."_

_"Hm..." The Black Mask leaned back in his fancy leather chair, feet on the table as he opened the manila folder and scanned its contents. "I'll look into it. Is there... anything else?"_

_"No, boss." Her body was tense and she was more than eager to leave the room. Something seemed off with her employer and she couldn't shake the bad feeling, like something was going to go wrong. It was easy to brush it off, though, and she turned around and walked out of the office. Before she could leave the threshold, he continued:_

_"Just remember, Miss Reed, that if this man performs poorly, there will be consequences."_

_She bit the inside of her lip, but nodded and gave another brief glance to the man in the chair. "Yes'sir, I know." Finally, she was able to leave the room._

"I don't think it took Joker too long to think about it; he got the envelope concerning the damn bounty on the night before Christmas Eve." Ginger sighed, the air feeling refreshing to her worked up lungs. "Man, he was pretty happy, to say the least, so I guess it ain't half bad... Actually, I dunno. Really don't."

_The night before Christmas Eve, thugs of all types were making their ways through the alleyways of Gotham City. One in particular, dressed in old mobster attire, was approaching a man covered in electrical wiring. However, before he could get close enough to hand off the envelope, an electrical shock punch knocked him out._

_As the brute bent down to pick up the papers, gentle footsteps echoed behind him. He quickly rose to his feet, ready to fight, but the sight he saw allowed him to relax. "You're back early, Linn."_

_A smirk graced her face as she walked up to him and stood by his side. "So, I see Black Mask chose ya after all." She gave him a devious smile and whispered in his ear, "Consider it an early Christmas present." Her lips went to his cheek, giving him a swift yet soft kiss on the cheek. "Maybe you'll get another one tomorrow night if the Bat's taken out. I gotta few lil'... _surprises_, up my sleeve."_

_She heard him chuckle as she pulled away from him. He wasn't much taller than her, but she still had to look up at him. "Don't worry, I'll take 'im out myself; it'll be a piece of cake." His hand grasped her chin, moving it so he could give her a lingering smooch on the lips. After a few moments, they pulled apart. "I got a surprise for you, too, sweet cheeks."_

_"Aw..." The smile she had been waiting for appearance as they began walking. "Yer too good to me, Lester."_

"Who was your beloved?" Freeze couldn't help but ask, "It seems as if you and him had a good relationship."

"Lester Buchinsky," Ginger quietly replied, but he caught it, "The... former Electrocutioner. He wasn't much in the crime world, aside from a street fighter. I doubt you'd know him; he... _died_, around the same time you popped up. I dunno how I ever put up with his ego... but, I dunno." She shrugged. "I loved him, and sometimes you can put that shit aside, I guess."

_Work was exhausting. Sionis had them patrolling just about every area he could think of, and it was taking a toll on her body. However, the motivation to see her sweetheart was overwhelming. This was why she was onboard The Final Offer. It took her a while, but she managed to get there fine._

_It looked like the rumored Batman came through. Everywhere she looked, bodies laid on the ground, unconscious. As much as she wanted to worry about Lester, it seemed that the Bat only knocked out his opponents. Then again, she heard about what happened to Ricky "Loose Lips" LeBlanc only a good hour ago. Now that would make her sick._

_The main steel doors to enter the ship were closed. She knew her way around - she had been there once or twice, for spying purposes. The way to the arena was a bit long, for her tastes, but that's where he told her he'd be, waiting for the Batman. One jail-like door, a thick as steel door, make her way through the flooded Deck 2, and up to the Boiler Deck._

_He didn't look too bad, once she saw him leaning against the wall next to the door. If anything, she could tell his ego was shattered and there would be a lot of complaints tonight. It was one of his few downsides; he dealt with her's, so she dealt with his._

_"Hey, babe." Linnea had opened the door and stood next to him, not blocking the doorway. "What happened? Did ya fight 'im?" She gave him a soft, almost sympathetic smile._

_"He got lucky," Lester defended, angrily, "That was a cheap shot, the kick to the face. I mean, who the Hell does that anymore? I could've kicked his ass with one hand tied behind my back!"_

_"Hey, hey, hey." Her hand went up to his bicep, squeezing gently. "You probably did fine. If you don't get him, someone else will. Just go to the meeting with the others and we'll celebrate when you come back home."_

Later, she learned from Ricky that Electrocutioner had been knocked unconscious with a simple kick to the face. Holding it over his head would only lead to an argument, so she stored it in the back of her mind. It made her giggle a bit to this day, though. He had always been one to put brawn over brain.

"The clown killed him." It was more of a statement than a question for Mr. Freeze. He was able to put the facts together: her grudge being the ultimate betrayal of her history.

"Yes." The answer was short and curt. Her face turned into one of anger, fist and jaw clenched. "I knew about the deception before he did, and I tried to warn him."

_Running. From what? The insane new clown villain who had posed as Black Mask for the past month. When he revealed himself, he personally killed all of the henchmen who wouldn't work with him._

_How did she get out of it? Well, she was pretty small, compared to the men, and sneaky. This "Joker" wouldn't mind losing one lowly henchman... or, woman, in her case. Now, she had to warn him. This new villain was very spontaneous and trigger-happy. She could only think of what would happen if he heard of Electrocutioner's horrid failure to kill the Bat._

_Dodging through cops, hobos, and streets, she finally made it to the place she needed to be: Royal Hotel. That was where the assassins would be meeting up. For what? She had no idea, and she didn't want to find out. All she needed to do was warn him and leave._

_The doors slammed open and she noted how the lobby was empty. He was already there. All she could do at this point was look for him and hope he was still alive..._

_It was also so sudden. The shattering glass, her boyfriend falling from the ceiling, the chandelier crashing, the brief flicker of electricity... This all seemed like it was in slow motion, if only to torture her._

_He wasn't moving... Hell, he didn't even seem conscious. It just left her in shock... No screams, no tears. Her expression was stunned. She felt pale... Hell, she _was_ pale._

_The Batman came onto the scene a few moments later. He looked over at him, then her. Before he could make his way to her, seeing as she was still wearing her Black Mask thug attire, she spoke, quietly: "Is he dead?"_

_The question puzzled him, to say the least. Then, he remembered the reports of Electrocutioner working with a small time female thug. At this point, he assumed it was her. "Yes. You might want to leave-"_

_"Joker, I know." She nodded, solemnly. "I saw what he did; got away and tried to warn him... but..." Her eyes remained focused on the fallen man's corpse. "I didn't make it..."_

_While she talked, Batman took the chance to nab Electrocutioner's gloves. Linnea didn't seem to notice. "You need to get out of here. He's killed lots of innocent people already."_

_It felt like moments had passed by, but the Bat was gone, more people were gathering in the lobby, and the sounds of sirens seemed to wake her out of her stupor, sloppily making her getaway._

"Needless to say, ya can't blame yerself for everything." The sounds of explosives was gone by this point, which allowed her to relax. "Wish I could take my own advice, but it's true - things happen; shit happens, and, in the end, we return back to normal... eventually."

"Normalcy is not an option for me," Victor stated, "I will forever be confined to this heavy, refrigerated machinery. Nora and I will never be able to walk, hand-in-hand, on a warm, summer's day."

Ginger shrugged. Really, there wasn't much she could say that she hadn't already said. "... Freeze, like I said - try asking for help. Sometimes you need it." She pursed her lips before she continued on. "I'm sure Mister Wayne could vouch for you, perhaps." When he gave her a hostile look, she shrugged again, "Hey, I'm just suggesting."

Banging on the door roused them from the conversation as someone was trying to pry open the electronic mechanized door. As such, Ginger took this as her cue to leave and went to her "room", packing up the necessary materials before heading towards the back exit. However, she stopped in the doorway of the lab and said, "Freeze... I'll get ya money. Secret bank account... I can give ya the deets when I return back to Arkham... or wherever they're puttin' us this time." With that said, she slipped out the exit.

Hiding from the police on the roof of the old GCPD building, Ginger took her time to think of what became of her life. Electrocutioner's death wasn't the end of the stress - no, it was only the beginning. After that, it seemed to be piling on like no one's business.

_Sorting through the items in their apartment, Linnea was taking what she needed, or what was her's, and planned on leaving the apartment abandoned. They always paid in cash, so no credit card information was revealed to track her._

_Her hand grasped an item in a small bag under the weak Christmas tree they stole. All week, she had been feeling depressed, empty, and miserable. It would only be a while before she broke._

_Taking out the content of the bag, she began to sob uncontrollably. __In her hand was a white pregnancy test stick with a blue positive sign._

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_Linnea "Ginger" Reed:_ 5'10" female red-head with long, wavy hair in Arkham City. She originally worked for Black Mask, a year or so before Arkham Origins. She had also worked freelance with her boyfriend, Lester Buchinsky, a.k.a. Electrocutioner. Sweetheart ends up dead and, well... Leading up to Arkham City, she's worked with Penguin for a long while and advanced the ranks to a relatively high-standing. Excellent marksmanship skills.


	5. Chapter 5: Family Bonds

"The Redneck and The Scientist"

Disclaimer: I only own Linnea "Ginger" Reed.

A/N: On suggestion from one of my lovely reviewers, I decided to continue on with this. Originally, it was supposed to be four chapters, but I think I "ended" it on a bad note. So, I decided to delve in deeper. **_As always, let me know what you think! Constructive criticism and reviews are always accepted._**

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Chapter 5: Family Bonds

The next few weeks were harsh to the Batman. Aside from dealing with the guilt over Joker's death in Arkham City and Harley Quinn's plan to take out herself, Robin, and himself, in order to be reunited with her beloved "puddin'", some of the inmates from the former prison area had escaped before the Gotham City police found them. It was stressful, but it wasn't much different than running Wayne Industries. The only obvious difference was that Bruce Wayne dealt with pesky wealthy entrepreneurs and investors whereas Batman was out at night, protecting the people of Gotham from criminals.

Recently, a "new" villain entered the scene. Various reports noted that the perpetrator was dressed in a baggy blue jumpsuit with a black beanie and handkerchief covering the lower part of their face. No vocal records were found yet, but it wasn't needed. Their fighting style and weapons of choice practically gave it away for him. They relied on an assortment of weapons, from blunt objects to firearms. He had seen only one other person use the same exact rifle before...

Ginger, also known as Linnea Reed. Formerly associated with Black Mask and Electrocutioner; currently working under The Penguin... but the businessman was incarcerated at the moment, along with most of Penguin's men. So, what was she doing all by herself? Normally, she'd have herself surrounded by gangsters.

He also knew her main source of motivation, the man who started it all and ended so many lives, was gone. On the other side of things, reforming didn't occur overnight. The crimes committed were petty robberies, at best, but the hostile strawberry-blonde was still a danger to the citizens of the city.

Batman and Robin were at the next bank on Ginger's list, apparently. They had tracked her down and alarms were blaring once she slammed through the glass doors, hands clasping around two big bags of cash. Before they could take down the disguised female, she put down one of the sacks to reach down her jumpsuit, smirking once she pulled it back out.

Nothing was in her hand, but Batman still didn't have a good feeling. Needless to say, he was right. "Was wonderin' when you two'd show up. I'd _love _to stay an' play catch up, but you guys got some bombs to kill." Again, before the two could react, she retrieved the item in her undergarments and threw it to him. "Y'know, I don't really need it anymore since it started the timers." Once more she was carrying the containers with the money. "Four car bombs; y'know what those are, right?" She looked smug and continued. "I've probably been yammerin' for a good few minutes... so ya guys have about seven or eight minutes to get 'em."

Batman scowled as she was able to make a quick getaway, narrowly evading Robin's block attempt and his own batarangs. However, they needed to prioritize and turning in a troublemaker who was one more mental disorder from becoming a Rogue was knocked down a few pegs. After all, people could die if they didn't act fast enough.

Later, Linnea was able to lay in a comfortable bed after taking a relaxing bath. There were many advantages to having a somewhat rich lawyer for a brother-in-law, and this was one of them. Another pro was that it allowed them (her sister and brother-in-law) to take care of her daughter without many monetary concerns, although she sent her sister money whenever possible to help. It didn't mean she had to like the guy, though. No - they both made verbal jabs at each other, much to the chagrin of her younger sister, Dahlia.

Despite their differences, Linnea was allowed to stay after much persuading. Her daughter, Elle, was more than happy to have her mother around. It was why the young toddler practically clung to her all day and was also sleeping with her in the guest room's bed. Although this was becoming a bit of a bad habit, she didn't have the heart to break it.

Now, she was sitting on the private balcony after arriving home from her recent heist. For the past weeks since Arkham City was destroyed, Ginger kept her promise to Mr. Freeze, helping him out money-wise and storing it in a secret warehouse. All there was left to do was bust him out, with the help of someone...

Harley Quinn was a no-go, due to all of the murder attempts on Joker. It wasn't like she was willing to work with the psychotic clown princess anyways. If anyone was next on her hit list, it would be Harley, for sure. Good thing the witch was incarcerated.

The same went for Two-Face, though that hatred pretty much stemmed from her time in the prison area. She was doubtful that the bipolar man would forgive her after that. He was also in jail.

Penguin was more than likely ready to rip her head off for not helping him out of the display case. Then again, there were a lot of actions she did where he wanted to kill her. Thank lord for chivalry... He was pretty much at Blackgate as well, seeing as the asylum was still being rebuilt. All she could do was hope this prison-wide breakout would earn his forgiveness, if he didn't skin her alive first.

Bane's way of doing things wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Surely, he was more useful five years ago compared to now. Again, another Rogue that was in prison.

Now, Riddler's hacking was more like what she was thinking about. It was clean and simple. Her knowledge on most types of technology was non-existent, so a hacker would be more than sufficient for the situation. Unfortunately, even though he was one of the only Rogues that escaped, the narcissistic man was prejudiced against all types of henchmen, including his own. There was no way he'd willingly work for her... Then again, nearly half the Rogues wouldn't work for her without good reason...

She took a sip out of the alcohol in her hand. This stuff was way better than cigarettes, no matter what anyone said. Sure, cigarettes helped hold her over in Arkham City, but it wasn't like she actually _liked _it. Now, _beer_, on the other hand? That was her kind of a night.

Linnea was brought out of her thoughts when the sound of a cape whooshing passed through her ear drums and a shadowy figure caught her eye. "I knew you'd come around." She took a big gulp out of the beer can in her hand and lifted up the half-gone six-pack towards the male. "Beer?"

"You know why I'm here, Ginger." Batman blatantly ignored her offer and got straight to the point. She didn't mind - the more direct, the better. "I thought you'd turn yourself in after Joker's downfall." He was probably irritated over the fact that she made him and Robin go on a wild goose chase for the dud car bombs she created.

"Ya thought wrong." Her voice was soft. The last thing she needed was her kid asking about why Batman was here. "See, that's what I wanted to do... Get help, they cure me, and I go back to a normal life." She shrugged. "Once I finish my promise, I'll do just that."

"What promise?" His demand was harsh and he was now standing right over her. Intimidating, sure, but it came with the job.

A lazy grin warmed itself up on her face. Very taunting, and she knew he wasn't going to like it. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know?"

Before he could grab her and make a threat, his eyes caught motion beyond the glass sliding door. The blinds were open, which was odd for the bright city, and a small form could be seen in the bed.

A kid... Her kid. It wasn't surprising to him in the very least. He did his research concerning her past and found out the reason for her sudden two-year break after Electrocutioner's death. Their child... Since she was in the care of her sister and brother-in-law, he wasn't too concerned for the child's well-being.

She had to have known he'd want to issue a violent warning right then and there. Chances are, any commotion out here would wake them up. Batman wasn't completely heartless; no child should have to see their parents being beaten up. Sure, he could take her to another building and do it, but it was more than likely that the child would wake up and wonder where their mother was.

"Like I said, I knew you'd come here." A smirk graced her face, arrogant and cocky as ever. Suddenly, a tiny red speck appeared on his cape where his shoulder was located and her face went grim. "You might wanna-"

Batman seemed to notice as well and dodged a bullet from a few buildings over before she finished speaking. A barrage of bullets headed in Batman's direction as he made his way off of the balcony to escape the assault.

"... leave." The words were quiet as they escaped her lips. Her eyes went to the building across from the luxury apartment and spotted nothing. It was when she heard the brief drop of boots on the ground that she turned around, ready to fight. However, the sight she saw made her relax, albeit slightly.

"What the Hell was _that_? You made me miss my shot!" Deadshot was standing a mere few feet away from her, looking pissed beyond belief. His loud voice made her cringe, in fear of waking up her daughter.

"Did ya _not _see what happened? The Bat saw it before I mentioned it!" Ginger hissed as loud as she could, which wasn't much since she was trying to keep quiet. "And remember what I told ya?" By this point, she stood up and got up in his face, staring him in the eye. "When you're near _my _family, you're in _my _territory, and you stay the Hell outta there." The two were inches apart as she got closer, her lips close to his ear. "You _know _I'd do anything for them, just like _you _wanna protect Zoe." Backing up, she turned to her three-pack of beer and took one out, offering it to him. "Somethin' for the road?"

He looked ready to reject it, but reconsidered it. "Yeah, sure. Why not?" He shrugged and caught the beer can once she tossed it to him. "I'll stay outta your turf, but you gotta keep outta my _business_. Can't keep missin' my shots. Got it?"

Cracking open another cold one, she gave a half-assed smile. "Got it." When she saw him walking away, beer in hand, she added, "Go get 'em, _tiger_." The glare he sent her made her chuckle a bit as he leaped over the edge to wherever he was headed. She took a long gulp of the beer, draining it of its contents and taking the last one, beginning to do the same.

Her thoughts went back to her main task at hand. Who had enough manpower to be able to break into Blackgate? Security was weak, but she wasn't in the mood for dealing with a mess, and most of the people she knew would cause just that. Either that, or they were in the prison already, having been caught and taken back from Arkham City.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in her mind as she finished the last beer and tossed it into a plastic bag with four other aluminum cans. Why hadn't she thought of it before? Sure, he knocked himself down a few ranks over the years, but he still maintained a certain amount of power in Gotham City. Chances are, he wouldn't even remember her, and she'd be able to ask him with a clean slate.

Tying up the plastic bag, she let it lean against the wall as she made her way inside, closing the curtains and stripping herself of the nice red robe she "borrowed" from Dahlia. She then went to the bed and lifted up the covers to her side of the bed, sliding herself in so she didn't wake Elle up.

"Mommy?" Speaking of the devil... The voice was quiet and laced with sleep. Her eyes were opened slightly.

"Don't worry, kiddo. Just had to use the bathroom." Her own voice was gentle as she raised her lithe hand to pet the girl's brunette locks. "Go back to sleep, Ellie. I'll still be here tomorrow."

As the young toddler went back to dreamland, Linnea felt somewhat satisfied. She was sort of, if not, lying to her daughter. Actually, it was a twisted truth - she didn't say anything about leaving later in the day. She did all she could to keep her family out of her business, even though most of them (excluding Elle) knew she did it. Nobody knew about them, except the Batman, but she didn't expect no less from the detective.

Tomorrow would be a big day. Hopefully, they would cooperate and she'd have to deal with less problems. If everything went according to plan, she'd be back in Arkham rehabilitating before being released. What? It was better than serving a lifetime sentence in Blackgate.


	6. Chapter 6: Ending Crime

"The Redneck and The Scientist"

Disclaimer: Ginger and the Reed family are mine!

A/N: Holy crap this chapter's long. I was thinking about splitting it up, but decided against it. I'm very doubtful about this chapter, because I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot and the whole keeping characters in-character. When I rewrite this, I'll probably add a Riddler segment. Anyways, this is the real end! Overall, I'm satisfied with how much info I got out concerning Ginger. I'll probably finish up rewriting "Discord and Disorder" before I write up something else... if I can come up with an idea. I do have one, but it'd be romance... but it'd explore more of Ginger's morals concerning romance.

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Chapter 6: Ending Crime

There was a time where the Reed family had been extremely happy. Unfortunately, it was like a fluctuating roller coaster of emotion. When the happiness came, it seemed to disappear just as quick.

First, it had only been Linnea and her older brother, Henric. Then, Dahlia came and there were problems with sharing attention. As things began to settle down, their father was sent into war once more and returned, five years later, with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The man was a wreck and the lack of attention from their parents started to effect them. This continued for five more years until Linnea had enough, asking her grandparents if she could move in and doing so shortly after. She didn't know how Dahlia dealt with it, but the latter told her about her baby sister's birth, with the infant being called Anita.

The period of steady harmony lasted a few years, until the death of her grandfather when she turned seventeen. A year later, her grandmother passed and she was left with a small fortune from their farm to move out on her own. Her journey led to Gotham City, where she attended a local community college. Originally working as a grocery store cashier, the wages weren't enough as the money given to her was slowly disappearing. Pole dancing seemed to be the new thing, so she was able to make a bit more after a few training sessions.

Again, cash seemed to remain an issue and decided to put her skills to use by signing up with Black Mask's gang. She wasn't a good fighter by any means, but years of hunting helped her marksmanship abilities. That, and dancing with poles increased flexibility. It was perfect for sneaking around.

Life was great as Linnea began to become acquainted with some of the other criminals, especially Electrocutioner. Everyone knows what happened to him, though, and she'd do anything to get those three years together back. It was hard to accept the fact that the past is the past, particularly due to developing PTSD after witnessing his death. Elle seemed to be a small blessing in disguise; even though it was rough at first, Linnea was able to take care of her daughter for a year and a half before turning to crime once more... Money. No one wanted to hire an ex-criminal, so cash was hard to find. Revenge was also a factor and going back in assured her that she'd get it.

Now, here she was. Around a decade of hard work with The Penguin helped to build her reputation. Not that it was a good one, by any chance, but something for the criminal world. Most of the people recognized her as the "crazy bitch who works with that short deranged man". Even though she couldn't care less for name calling, it was fairly obvious that Cobblepot still had his vices about being called short and considered deranged. The entrepreneur always claimed he was more sane than the other Rogues, but first hand experience would prove different to the thugs. First rule of working under The Penguin: Take orders or be punished. The ones visible in the museum were few of many tortures that took place.

Arkham City was being destroyed as her thoughts trailed on. Most of the Rogues were caught by the Gotham City Police Department and those who weren't were either hiding or planning their next heists. A good portion of thugs were able to make their way out, as the GCPD temporarily passed them over in favor of seizing the more dangerous and violent criminals.

Batman _was _right - Joker was dead, so she had no real motivation, aside from money. Her post-traumatic stress disorder was slowly coming back after four years, so it'd be nice to receive proper treatment in order to live a relatively normal life with her family. However, pleading insanity due to PTSD would be hard to really prove, especially since most of the crimes committed weren't related to the mental disorder. If anything, she was more than likely going to face a /long/ period of jail time in Blackgate...

Various degrees of murder, burglary and robbery; all of these were more than likely to guarantee her a good decade or more in jail, even with her brother-in-law as the lawyer of choice. At this rate, if she turned herself in, all she could hope for was a nice plea bargain. Even then, only a few charges were barely likely to be dropped...

"Mommy?"

The soft voice drove Linnea out of the heavy-weighing thoughts in her mind. Next to her, at the kitchen table, she noticed Elle's curious yet concerned gaze. "Yeah?" She took a small sip of the warm coffee, grimacing at the taste. These days, it's hard to remember how she wanted it.

"How long are you gonna be here?" Looking directly into her daughter's eyes, she noticed the brown orbs that resembled her own. Aside from the skin color and nose shape, every other feature was /his/.

The gaze didn't hold long as it wandered to her sister, who avoided it by eating her breakfast, and then to her in-law, who basically shrugged... Not like he would've helped her out regardless. Looking back at her child, she sighed. "For a little while, kiddo."

"How long's a little while?" Of course, Elle was at the age where questioning was constantly questioned.

"How's preschool?" Changing the subject was a good way to disregard the question, especially with the kid's short attention span.

"Good! I made a lotta new friends and-and I learn to count! And-"

As she rambled on about her goings-on in pre-k, Linnea's mind drifted off to her plans for the day. She was sure hoping that the crime boss would lend her some helping hands to break into the prison...

Later, when Dahlia and Linnea dropped off Elle at pre-school, - the young toddler was still grasping the fact that her mother shouldn't exactly be seen in public - the two sisters were left in the car, driving to the eldest's destination. Needless to say, it was relatively... awkward.

"So you're gonna turn yourself in?" Dahlia was quick and to the point, much like herself. "You know you're facing jail time in Blackgate, right? What are you gonna tell Ellie?"

All Linnea could do was release the sigh she was holding. "I dunno, Dahl. Either I turn myself in or risk endangerin' you guys. No off- actually, fuck it. Your hubby ain't the best man to be protectin' you guys. Shit, I mean it ain't _his _fault he's in the wheelchair, but the damn man acts like he can do it all."

"He provides for us, Linn." Her voice was low and serious. This wasn't the time to be making smart remarks about her husband. "Blake works to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads - y'know, me and the daughter you couldn't bother to visit the past few months? Isn't that good enough to you? Because you've _never _gotten along with any of my boyfriends. I'll never forget the one you _killed_."

Linnea had to roll her eyes at the small pieces of the past that Dahlia held over her head. "Hey, in my defense, the guy was gettin' involved with shit he shouldn't 'a been." Since they were stopped at a red light, the younger sister turned to send a pointed glare in the eldest's direction. "Okay, _fine_, he managed to piss in Cobblepot's cornflakes. Still, Dolly, I'd _never _let ya get involved with the business."

"Oh, and, what, you can? You shouldn't have even went back! If you stopped, Blake could've gotten your sentence reduced to a year or two. From what he told me last night, you'll be lucky if you get less than ten years, and that's _without _a plea bargain! They might not even post bail!"

"I'm _experienced_. I went back because I _had _to! What place in the right mind would'a hired an ex-con, anyways? Not many, and none in the line of mechanics. Trust me, I freakin' tried." Her voice paused for a few moments. "I do what I have to in order to provide you guys with money to help take care of Elle, and make sure she can afford goin' to college without loans. God knows _I_ got lucky when I received a good portion o' money from Gram and Gramps' will to cover my own ass, but it goes quick." A scraggly-looking building caught her sight and she quickly said, "Pull over".

Once Dahlia did, she didn't unlock the doors to the fair sedan yet. "Blake and I are always willing to help out with Elle, and you know we always will. If you were so worried about it, you should've came to me first." Her slender finger hit the locking mechanism and the locks popped open. "Love ya, Linn."

Giving her sibling a small smile, she reached over and ruffled the girl's blonde hair as she protested. "Love ya, too, Dahl-Face. Keep an eye on the squirt while I'm gone." She fetched a full burlap sack and her rifle out of the trunk of the car and Dahlia drove away. Linnea was left standing in front of the current hideout for one of the free Rogues. "Damn, Sionis, really?" She took out a piece of paper from her pocket with the address scrawled on it. "Well, shit. Couldn't 'a found a better place to stay..."

Making her way into the alleyway between the two buildings, she looked around for another weapon. It almost seemed like instinct at this point, and it was always nice to have a back-up plan. When she spotted a broken pipe piece, she put down the sack and picked up the pipe, throwing it into her clean jeans before picking the bag back up.

Her eyes spotted the door that the goon had told her to go to and knocked on it. After a few moments, the eye slot opening and revealing a barely visible set of eyes. Ginger thought they briefly flashed with a bit of familiarity, but it passed. "Yeah, whaddya want?"

"I know Black Mask's here." When he made no motion to open the door, she continued, "I've got a business deal for 'im." Her hand raised the container to eye level with the other thug. "I don't think he'd be happy if, y'know, ya let this lil' opportunity, so to say, slip by."

"Mr. Sionis don't want any visitors; he's very busy. S-" Before he could finish his threat, Linnea had loaded the rifle and fire in the hole, hitting him right in the eyes. She could assume that the shot killed him - at point-blank range, the bullet would hit his brain - because she only heard a short thud as he collided with the ground. Grumbling under her breath, she took out a bobby pin and torque wrench out of her back pocket. This had to be quick, because the shot most likely alerted anyone that was around. As she heard a click, she opened the door and came face to face with a group of Black Mask's hustlers.

"Fuckin' _Hell_."

This was how she ended up in the office of the one and only Roman Sionis. Her hair was disheveled and she was fairly sure that her skin would bruise over later. The fact that they disarmed her pissed her off, along with them taking the sack out of her possession and revealing the contents: money. When the thug holding her down suggested keeping it for themselves, something deep inside of her burned and she bit the male, tearing off a good hunk of flesh. After a few more savage attacks, the men stopped taunting her with the bag and immediately brought her to the boss.

"Well, what do we have here?" In front of her, she noted how much Black Mask's appearance had changed. Since she hadn't seen him for a few years or so, a lot changed. There was the accident in Blackgate, where an explosion caused that black mask he always wore to permanently seal itself upon his face. Part of the top was cracked, revealing part of his hairline and graying black hair. His neat white suit was replaced with black pants, held up by a pair of leather suspenders, on top of a light blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

"Black Mask... Long time, no see." Despite being defeated, a smirk graced her face. "Seems you've had it rough the past few years."

Roman cut her off with a pistol whip to the face. "I know you work for Penguin. If you're here 'bout joinin' the gang, then tough luck. No way in Hell I'm lettin' you in. I heard about the lil' _situation _you had in Arkham City."

"I don't work for 'im anymore," she growled in response, "I'm here to ask for... a deal." Her eyes went to the guy holding the bag. "I got money; your _employees _wanted to take it for themselves."

When Sionis glared at the thugs, who shrugged sheepishly, it made her feel satisfied. However, he looked back at her. "How do I know you're not lyin'?"

Taking a quick glance at the others, Ginger noted that one was wearing a fairly obvious nervous expression. Cocking an eyebrow, she looked back at Black Mask before nudging her head in the guy's direction. "The look explains everything, don'tcha think?"

"N-no boss, we-" Without a warning, Roman Sionis took out a gun from the holster on his hip and shot the speaking thug in the chest. It didn't seem to be too fatal, but the man screamed in pain.

"Anyone else wanna try an' defend themselves?" No one was willing to speak up by that point. If anything, they were too busy grimacing at the writhing man on the floor. "Good; I'll deal with the rest of ya later. Now..." His gaze connected with her own. "What kinda deal are we talkin' about?"

"I know yer working with Riddler." A confused expression clouded his face and she explained, "I hear things; thug gossip is pretty rich these days." She shook her head, chuckling. "Anyways, I need help busting into Blackgate, and I don't really got no one else to go to. Simple little break-in with security, y'know? I just need yer guys for... well, back-up, and a distraction."

Black Mask seemed to think this over a bit before snatching the bag of cash from the thug closest to him, opening it up to reveal the contents. "How much is in here?"

"Twenty grand - ten for you and ten for Riddler. I'd go to him myself, but y'know how he is with us henchmen." The others around her nodded in agreement. "Rather have someone else talk to him without a fuss so I don't gotta deal with it. He'll probably listen to ya. If anything, it gives 'im a chance to take down the Bat. You too, if ya want."

She couldn't tell if he was interested because his face remained neutral. The contemplation didn't take too long as he said, "Well, ya gotta plan?" The smirk on her face couldn't be anymore arrogant if she tried.

The night was cold and uninviting, but Ginger and the group of thugs with her dealt with it. Earlier, she sniped down the main guards in the watchtowers by the Cell Blocks with the help of a few men who knew how to shoot. In her arms, she was carrying a six pack of dynamite, and there was a small backpack over the left shoulder. As they walked up to the side walls of Blackgate Penitentiary, she turned to the boys behind her. "I know ya sure as Hell don't wanna listen to me, but I'm payin' yer boss and chances are a portion of it's gonna be part of your paychecks, so tough shit." She chuckled. "I blow up the wall and you guys take down any guards that ya see. Got it? Good." She didn't wait for anyone to say anything as she took a match out of her pocket and lit it before lighting the end of the dynamite.

Instantly, everyone darted a good distance away from the wall and waited for the explosive to blow. It didn't take long and big bang sounded out throughout the area, alerting the guards around the building. Unfortunately for them, Black Mask and his men chose that time to storm in through the Administration Building through the strangely unlocked gates.

In the Cell Blocks, all of the inmates were screaming in joy as the doors to the cells flew open. Everything happening was practically yelling "riot", from what Ginger could tell. Whatever guards she managed to run past were nearly run over by the escaping inmates, and whatever halls she ran through were full of either guards trying to quell the riot or prisoners trying to find their way out.

From what Riddler told Black Mask, Freeze's cell was located in a special holding cell within Block A. It didn't take her too long to reach the area, as she saw a metal banner saying "Block A Holding Cells" on the wall. Finding his cell was easy - she saw the open door leaking out cold air and freeze the ground around it. Once she was standing in the doorway to his cell, she took note of how he didn't appear as weakened as he did when Penguin held him captive, but he looked fairly miserable - nothing unusual there.

"Hey." She gave a brief knock on the threshold, causing him to look up from looking at the ground. "You comin'?" His mouth opened to question her actions, but she cut him off. "Look, I got somethin' to help you with yer wife, and it ain't no use if yer rottin' here with the rest of these douchebags." She bit her lip as she remembered what was missing. "I can take ya to yer suit, so we can get the Hell outta here. I can take care of any of the guards."

Once he got up, she took out another piece of paper from her other pocket and briefly mumbled, "It ain't that far from here; he said he'd unlock the case." She took the lead with Victor behind her, hand on her rifle just in case. Passing the unlocked cell doors, most of them were empty and the occasional inmate ran by, happily.

The walk seemed to take forever until two guards turned the corner. Quickly, she manuevered her rifle into a shooting position and shot both of the guards a few times. An inmate came around next and she put her rifle back in place, thinking he'd run right past them. Unfortunately, his face turned into anger when he spotted her and his course changed, ramming her down to the ground, rushing the air out of her. "You bitch, you made my life a livin' Hell workin' with Cobblepot!" His hands were around her neck, strangling the life out of her.

"I remember you," she said through shallow breaths, "You were one of the fuckin' _pussies _I had to train." With a small smirk, her hands made their way up to his face and used her fingernails to rake his eyes. As he cried in pain, she used her rifle to shoot him in the head. Progressing forward, she began to hold her shoulder as it ached in sharp, stabbing pain. Her whole arm began to tingle and moving it seemed to make the pain worse. Breathing itself was a bit difficult, as that also caused pain. "What the Hell's wrong? I've taken hits worse than that before. Shoulder hurts like a fuckin' /bitch/. Can't move it and it hurts to breath."

"You dislocated your shoulder." Fries' voice surprised her, as she thought she mumbled what she said. Although he was weakened slightly, his hand grabbed her left arm, spinning her around to face him. Immediately, he gently grasped her right arm and moved it into a ninety degree angle before pushing it back in. The pain weakened slightly, but it still throbbed.

"Uh... Thanks." She gave him a small smile as she turned around and began walking once more, reaching the end of the hallway. The door said "Personal Possessions" and she turned the handle, but it didn't give in - since it wasn't an electronic lock, it was still locked. Sticking out her tongue in concentration, she took out her ever-so handy bobby pin and torque wrench, unlocking it with a short "click". Like Riddler had told them, the case at the end of the room was opened, revealing his suit.

Getting out of Blackgate didn't take them long after that. Sure, the GCPD were there, but Mr. Freeze was easily able to take them out. Batman arrived as well, but he had three Rogues to deal with - Black Mask, Mr. Freeze, and Riddler, who set up traps inside the prison to test out on the Bat. This left the Rogue and henchwoman pair to escape with ease.

The walk to a storage unit Ginger owned was a relatively quiet one, with the exception of the noises that Victor's mechanical suit made. It was awkward, for the most part, at least, for Ginger. "Yer not like the rest of the Rogues... Yer not a complete sadistic psycho." Her gaze landed on him for a moment before looking straight ahead. "I mean, if they could find a cure for... whatever happened to ya, then maybe you'd be like the rest of the Gotham citizens." She shrugged. "Sure, I know we do what we gotta do to get by and whatnot, and that's what they need to fuckin' realize. It isn't easy, not at all."

Freeze briefly glanced at Ginger. "It isn't." A few moments passed by and he spoke once more. "What is your motivation to stay alive? It seems as if you lost everything, much like I have."

"Revenge against The Joker." It was an automated response, her tone remaining monotonous.

"But the clown is gone."

"Remember when I told ya I have a constant reminder of Lester?" Without waiting for a response, she continued, "Family, Mr. Freeze. My family; my... daughter." The last part she mumbled in a low tone, hoping he'd miss it.

That wouldn't be the case. "Nora and I talked about starting a family before. How do you think he would have handled your pregnancy? Do you think he would have stayed?" He seemed curious, and it relaxed her a bit to have a... near-normal conversation with him.

"I dunno." She shrugged. "I think he would'a left, to be honest." Her face turned into a frown. "And I would'a kept her anyway. Honestly? Don't think it would'a changed much. I came back because no one wants to hire a freakin' criminal, for cryin' out loud. Makes my degree in Automechanics seem like a piece 'a shit."

The narrow street led them to a more open area, revealing a set of storage areas behind a chainlink fence. However, as they progressed to the designated building, Ginger's jaw nearly dropped at the sight before her. Inside, the room was bare with the exception of a few boxes. "What the Hell?!" She stormed in, looking around for anything else that remained. "They stole my shit! The money, my fuckin' _truck_..." Her face was turning redder by the minute, both from anger and being a bit upset. Taking in a deep breath, she turned around to face the confused scientist. "I'm sorry, Fries... Sorry for wastin' yer time. I had this place locked up and all that crap; this was where I was stashin' the cash..." She looked at the ground before looking back up at him. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't help you..."

Again, the man took her by surprise when he gave her a light pat on her undamaged shoulder. "I appreciate the effort, Miss Reed. Very few have attempted to help me before."

A smile formed on her face as she took his hand and shook it, much to his own surprise. "Thank you, Freeze, for letting me try to do somethin' nice for a change. I guess..." She rubbed the back of her head and avoided his gaze. "I could call you... an ally, I suppose."

Before he could respond, the sounds of sirens reached their eardrums as police cars made their way closer to the containment unit. As she leaned against the wall, she stated, "Go; go help yer wife. I was gonna turn myself in after Joker passed, anyway."

He did as he was told, freezing the approaching cops with his freeze ray before heading in the opposite direction. Gunshots were fired at him, but his suit had more than enough protection to shield him. As the sound of the sirens began to fade, he heard Ginger shouting, "What the Hell? Why'd you take my truck? I _bought _that, with my _own _money!". A brief smile made its way on his face as he continued walking.


End file.
